Abbotsford has cleaned up its tainted image as the two-time homicide capital of Canada, reporting zero homicides for last year, and police are crediting a gang prevention program for the city's success.

The Fraser Valley city had the country's highest per-capita rate of murders in 2008 and 2009, but posted a quick turnaround from 11 killings in 2009 to four the next year and then to none in 2011.

Edmonton now holds the dark homicide-city title, posting 47 killings in 2011, and Abbotsford hopes to stay off the list. Abbotsford Police Const. Ian MacDonald says the challenge inherent in posting a zero is maintaining that rate.

Police plan to step-up an anti-gang policy that this year included a gang squad that kept tabs on known gangsters in the community.

"We want to dig a layer deeper and go beyond those that are directly involved in gangs but also target those moving drugs or weapons, sales and distribution," said MacDonald.

He added that the arrests of B.C. gangster kingpins such as two of the Bacon brothers, and the violent summer drive-by that killed another brother, has reinforced an anti-gang message in the community and scared people from getting involved.

Nearly one in five Abbotsford citizens participated in the city's anti-gang program through schools or at home, and learned about the dangers of gang involvement with the help of some graphic visuals.

"We wanted to bring reality messaging to young people and we didn't want to sugarcoat it," MacDonald said. "Some of the messages were provocative like showing the students body bags".

MacDonald said the messages were not intended to be used as scare-tactics but police wanted to show a true representation of what gang life is like.

The program has toured four schools and also held a series of parent workshops presented in English and Punjabi. MacDonald said police have received an incredible response form the community and plan to continue the presentations into 2012.

"We're really proud of the community," MacDonald added. "If they didn't back the police you can forget all the hard work".